In Alaska, The Arc of Anchorage has developed the #StickFigureAK statewide initiative. The #StickFigureAK initiative uses art to spark community engagement by encouraging Alaskan residents to create stick figures using everything from candy to crab legs to represent things they love.

“Sometimes we think of a stick figure and we kind of think, ‘Well, you know, whatever.’ It doesn’t seem that exciting or it doesn’t have a lot of potential,'” says project creator Naomi Hodawanus. “When some people think of a person with a disability, they’re quick to dismiss that person’s potential, too, just like we do with a stick figure. But really, even if someone has an intellectual or developmental disability, they were created to create just like we do.”

View the #StickFigureAK YouTube video below to learn more about starting your own community project and visit the gallery of artwork to view and/or place your vote. By creating this art, the Arc of Anchorage hopes to change the way people see individuals with intellectual disabilities. The top 100 figures will be printed in a limited edition coffee table book.